Folding crib



No. 609,49l. Patented Aug. 23, |898. R. P. ASHWELL.

FOLDING CRIB.

(Application filed occ. 1e, 1897.)

(No Model.)

6M y /L/m.

Nrrnn STATES- PATENT Friend.

RICHARD P. ASHWELL, OF NEVARK, NEW JERSEY.

FOLDING CRIB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,491, dated August23, 1898.

Application iled October 16, 1897. Serial No. 655,374., (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.:

Beit known that I, RICHARD P. AsHwELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Cribs, of whichthe following is a specication, reference being had to the drawingsaccompanying and forming a part of the same.

The invention the subject of my present application is an improvement infolding cribs' or beds, and has for its object to produce a device ofthis character which may be folded more compactly and when so foldedwill occupy less space than those heretofore made, in order that it maybe readily packed in an ordinary trunk.

The improvement consists generally in the combination, with the posts oruprights, of sides and ends composed of slats or bars pivoted orconnected together in the manner of a lazy-tongs, and a bottom framehinged at its center and supported at its ends by the said lazy-tongs,so that said ends will be raised or lowered, according to the degree ofeXtension of the sides.

The details of the construction of the device in which my said inventionresides are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a side elevation and part section of the improved crib orbed extended for use. Fig. 2 is an end view, partly in section, of thesame. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the bottom frame. Fig.4iis a perspective view of the crib folded up. Fig. 5 is a view showinga modied means of attachment between the posts and other parts.

The crib or bed is provided with four u prights or posts A, and the endsare formed by the bars or slats B, joined at centers and ends so as toopen and close on the principle of the lazy=-tongs. The upperextremities of the end bars or slats are pivoted at C to the posts A,while the corresponding lower extremities are provided with bolts orpins D, which work in vertical slots E in the said posts. The sides aresimilarly constructed, being composed of slats or bars F, pivoted to theposts Aat G and working in slots I-I in the said posts at right anglesto the slots E.

The bottom of the'bed is composed of canL vas secu red to the side barsLwhich are hinged at L ornear the middle and have secured to their endsthe angle plates J. 1 (Shown in 'detail in Fig. 3.)l The ends of theangleplates J have eyes cl, through which pass the ties of the end barsof the sides and working in the vertical slots I-I. Depending from thejoints between the lower extremities of the bars F are stirrups M, whichreceive and support the side bars I.

N is a bent or curved bar which is laid across the side bars J orinserted in notches therein for the purpose of giving rigidity tothestructure and preventing the bars from lateral movement.

When the crib is to be extended for use, the four corner-posts are drawnapart. This causes the lower extremities of the barsin the sides andends to ride up Vthrough the slots in the posts. When the sides havebeen sufficiently extended to permit the side bars I to straighten out,the latter drop down into the stirrups M, and the further extension ofthe sides is prevented. The ends are like `wise prevented from spreadingbeyond the limit determined bythe width of the canvas secured to thebars I and are prevented from coming together by the insertion of thelbow N and the presence of the ends of the side bolts K, passing throughthe lower extremibars of the crib-bottom. lf so desired, the

crib is fully collapsed, as shown in Fig. 4.

` If so desired, short bars O maybe attached to the short arms of theangleplates J, as shown in Figs. land 2, and the canvas secured to themto `form a raised head andfoot for the crib when in use.

In lieu of slottingtheposts A external sleeves P, Fig. 6, may beemployed, to which the side and bottom bars are pivoted, and these maybe fixed in the desired position by pins inserted through holes f in theposts.

The chief advantages of the construction above described, apart from thespecial object which is secured of so shifting the points of connection-between the bars I and the posts A that the former lie entirely betweenthe posts when the crib is folded, reside in the greater lightness andrigidity of the structure and its compactnessl when folded. It will beobserved that the side bars I of the bed-bottom are not only attached tothe side frames, but are suspended directly from the upper part of theposts by the side bars pivoted thereto and provided with the stirrups attheir lower ends.

The specilio details of construction may be modified in many particularsWithout departure from the invention, as will be understood.

I am aware that folding cribs and beds have heretofore been constructedwith sides or ends, or both, composed of bars pivoted together in themanner of lazy-tongs, and I do not make any claim to this feature initself.

What I claim is* l. In a folding crib the combination with corner-posts,of sides composed of levers pivoted together in the manner oflazy-tongs, the upper extremities of the end bars being secured totheposts and the corresponding lower extremities being movable along theposts, of a bottom having side bars hinged in the middle and connectedat the ends to the end bars of the sides, and stirrups secured to thelower extremities of the bars intermediate to the posts and affordingsupports for the side bars of the bottom, as set forth.'

2. In a folding crib the combination with corner-posts, of theextensible sides and ends composed of bars pivoted together in themanner .of lazy-tongs, and secured to the posts near their tops, of abottom hinged in the middle and supported at its ends by the extensiblesides of the crib, as set forth.

' 3. In a folding crib the combination with corner 'posts, of extensiblesides and ends composed of bars pivoted together in the manner oflazy-tongs, a bottom having side bars hinged in the middle and supportedat the ends by the extensible sides of the crib, and a cross bar or bowfor insertion between the side bars of the bottom, as set forth. Y

4. In a folding crib the combination with corner-posts, of extensiblesides and ends composed of bars pivoted togetherin the manner oflazy-tongs, the end bars being connected with the posts at fixed pointsand to slots therein respectively, a bottom having side bars hinged inthe middle and connected with the end bars of the sides which aremovable along the corner-posts, stirrups on the bars intermediate to theposts for supporting the side bars of the bottom, and a cross bar or bowfor insertion between the said side bars, as set forth.

RICHARD P. ASHWELL.

Witnesses:

M. LAWSON DYER, G. W. MARTLING.

